The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-12
FROM DISTANT RUSSIA.
SOMETHING ABOUT LIFE IN A
FAMILY OF NIHILISTS.

Political Situation IN w OrdS interest
ing to Americans-What Tourist
Saw and Heard in Kieff.
4 letter from Kieff to the Chicago Ne,os
sovs: Kieff is city of about 10000 in
bahitants in Southern Russia. It's name is
seldom mentioned in America, and if men
TONED it is always in connection with dis
aster of some kind an uprising of the pop
Mace against the Jews, OF nihilist plot
How came l, a Chicagoan, to be in Kieff!
That is a question that needs an explanation.
An American tourist in Europe haStens to
the cav shores of the Seine, the majestic pa
laces and villas of the Tiber, or the lofty
mountains of Switzerland. He takes ride
on the Rhine, stops at Berlin, Vienna
Cologne and Munich, sees few other places
then his conscience is satisf1ed-he thinks he
has done his duty. He forgets entirely the
great empire of the Slavs; the magnificent
cities. churches, dones and monuments that
adorn the way through which his ancestors
centuries ago came marching to the plains
and hills now known as Germany, England
France, or Spain. got tired of western
Europe, where everything has assumed d
make morbid impression on the novelty
seeking, active and creating American mind
EVERYTHING that can be seen there has been
studied ana written up by Americans so
often that did not consider it worth while
to write something about it again. Hardly
ANYBODY would care to read it, though, and
| would be reproached for repeating and re-
freshing old themes. Once in Vienna long
ing to see something unusual, something out
of the way, overcame me- A Russian
friend called my attention to his native
land, and one bright afternoon boarded a
train crossed the frontier at Brodi, a town
In Eastern Austria, and found myself under
the agiS of the Gar, among gendarmes,
Cossacks, soldiers, peasants, ex-serfS and
strange people of all kinds In Kieff, my
first landing place, | remembered Chicago
and sat down to Iiarrate to my beloved fel-
low-townsnen my experiences.
KIEFF, THE MOTHER OF RUSSIA.
have been fully rewarded for my ven
turesome journey Kieff is a beautiful
town. and the Dnieper, on which it is stu
ated, is a grand river If one wants to
study the history and life of Russia let him
begin with Kieff, ''the mother of the Rus
sian cities, the Jerusalem of the Russian
nation" the 'cradle of the Russian church"
as it is called by writers and poets. 1t is
10
dated back to the eighth century. Hundreds
of romantic legends and heroic songs are
connected with its name. Here Vladimir
the Great first introduced Christianity
among the Russians, and here the first Rus
sian statute laws were issued by the Grand
Duke Yarosave, the sage. Kieff has been
completely destroyed and built up time and
again. Wild inhabitants of the steppes as
well as Tartars, Poles, CossacRs and Mus
covites fought here for supremacy. 1t has
a glorious history, which is writ
although at present it seems to be
an entirely new city, built after the modern
European style, with stately buildings,
beautiful private residences, broad streets,
and spacious, shadowy parks and orchards.
svETLoFF, THE STUDENT NIHILIsT.
My Russian friend in Vienna, whose adj
vice followed in visiting this strange coun-
try, gave me some letters of introduction
which proved of invaluable service. After
having established myself in the Hotel de
Paris, a splendid mansion with French
cooks and servants, I hired carriage and
started out to make acquaintance. My
first visit was to young student named
Svetloff. | found him in bed. He received
me very suspiciOusly, but after reading the
letter | handed him he changed his tone and
dwelling of bachelor. The shoe-brlsh lay
at one end of the room, books, pamphlets
and papers were scattered around the floor;
shirts, collars and various pieces of clothing
occupied number of chairs, and half a
dozen empty wine bottles and glasses, rem
nants OF caviar and cheese; left no free
space on the table The host asked to be
excused. He would not change his habits
for moment, he said, for anybody in the
o,,I h., g. 1
all day If he neglected his toilet A party
OF friends came together in his room the
night before and had good time, he add
ed, pointing at the empty wine bottles He
spoke French, of course; he readily excused
me tor not having the least knowledge of
MS native tongue. A sturdy young fellow.
a servant, brought in a huge tub and filled
It with cold water | arose to go, but Mr.
SSvetlof kept me back, saying need not
ieel uneasy and might consider myself at
nome He plunged himself into the tub. re-
NAMED there for awhile, and then he pro-
ceeded to make up his toilet. Finally fresh
and smiling, he reached me his hand, offer
ing 70 become friends. He was young, tall
ana slender, with black hair, black eyes, and
constant benevolent smile on his clean,
Wnlte lace. From his questions and re-
marks, made in an impassionate, unostenta-
uous voice, conjectured that l had before
NE one or those men with dreadful repu-
{atlon whom we commonly call Nihilists.
but he won my confidence at once, and sur
prlsed me by his thorough knowledge of our
american institutions He praised our ma
uonal energy and self-confdence, and as
Sured me that Iswould not regret my visit to
russia He proposed himself to be my
gulde, which proposition / accepted with
thanks. AT noon we left his room to visit
FAMILY named Choudzin, to whom also
nad letter of introduction. We were re-
c c by a young lady of striking beauty
and amiability.
NJ, Lana !1la Nikolayevna Choudzin," said my
ing us.
one gave me her little hand and a sweet,
Happy smile bearned from her dark-blue eyes
o. o. ohe heard my name pronounced. Plainly
LueaSeu' with a profusion of flowing brown
f Hulr rosy-cheeked face, and faultless
lame, she looked picture of grace and love
GLAD TO MEET AN AMERICAN.
90 you are an Americana free-born
hier ican! exclaimed the little lady. Gan
AaIllel!can tourist you ares never saw an
INT ailisricah in my life. am glad they are so
sOou-looking. Mamma and we all will be
ee@otte9lnely happy to dine with an American
.. II seemed as though the stream of words
Gil tlle mouth OF my hostess would never
c cd' t 10 Row. | got confused, and attempt
NJ. 20 return tue compliment and to excuse
R ~ u. that came just at dinner time.
NV NV Cle young lady unceremoniously put
Ia ham a